


Family Reunion

by gay_for_rey1999



Category: Archie Comics, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Sorry again, but not really, fake dating au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 13:26:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11533158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gay_for_rey1999/pseuds/gay_for_rey1999
Summary: Betty asks Jughead to pretend to be her boyfriend for her upcoming family reunion so she can avoid questions about her love life





	Family Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Talk to me on tumblr @gay-for-rey1999

“Ugh I am absolutely dreading this weekend,” Betty huffed as she dropped her lunch on the table, taking her usual seat next to Jughead.  
“What’s this weekend?” Veronica asked, looking slightly amused at her best friend.  
“My family reunion is Saturday. I don’t think I can take another round of ‘Oh, Betty, you’re so pretty. How come you don’t have a boyfriend?’ Like it’s the end of the world that I’m single.”  
“Ooh, Betty needs a beard!” Kevin squealed excitedly. “I would volunteer, but even I couldn’t pull that off. I’m too gay.”  
“And I’m a no-go since your mom hates me,” Archie chimed in  
“Which leaves us with Jughead,” Kevin finished triumphantly  
Jughead looked up from his sandwich, looking like a deer caught in headlights. “Wait, what? I don’t remember agreeing to this,” he protested half-heartedly. Truthfully, there was nothing Jughead Jones would love more than to be Betty Cooper’s boyfriend, even if it were just for one day.   
“You don’t have to, Jug,” Betty said quickly, glaring at Kevin. “I wouldn’t seriously ask you to brave my entire family just so I can avoid questions about my love life.”   
“But let’s just say, hypothetically, that I do go with as your fake boyfriend,” Jughead started, gears turning in his head. “There would be free food, right?”  
“You are living proof that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” Veronica sighed exasperatedly. “Do you ever think about anything else?”  
“Not if I can help it,” Jughead responds cheekily, popping a carrot into his mouth. “But back to Betty’s situation.”  
“You do realize that if we do this, you’ll have to hold my hand and kiss my cheek and dance with me, right?” Betty shot an amused glance at her friend, knowing full well that he avoided romance like the plague.  
“A small price to pay for that much food.” Jughead winked and Betty rolled her eyes, completely missing the dreamy, lovesick look that momentarily crossed his face.   
“If you’re sure, then let’s do this. We’ll need to come up with a romantic backstory, though. It shouldn’t be too hard, considering we’re both authors,” Betty chuckled. She finished her pasta and took off to do some work for the Blue and Gold, leaving the rest of the table to chatter excitedly.  
\---  
Saturday rolled around much slower than Jughead would have liked. He was very excited to be able to act as Betty’s adoring boyfriend. But as excited as he was, it was nothing compared to the anxiety that overwhelmed him. What if she found out? What if it made her uncomfortable? What if her family hated him?  
Their cover story was pretty simple: Jughead had a crush on Betty, so he asked her to homecoming as friends. There, he told her his true feelings, and she confessed the same. It was foolproof, especially since they actually had gone to homecoming together, so they could show off the pictures.   
Betty made the rounds, making sure to greet all of her family members. Jughead stayed by her side, always maintaining physical touch, either holding her hand or draping a protective arm across her shoulder. He made small talk with all Betty’s relatives as she introduced them, and it was giving him a major headache.  
“So, Jug-Head,” Betty’s aunt inquired, separating his name into two words. “What do you like to do for fun?”  
“I’m a writer,” Jughead responded shortly. He had already answered this question at least ten times. Betty lightly elbowed him in the ribs, encouraging him to elaborate. “Betty and I work on the school newspaper together. I want to be a novelist one day, but even Ernest Hemingway started out as a journalist.”  
Jughead looked over the middle-aged woman’s shoulder to see Polly struggling to find a seat. “If you’ll excuse me,” he put on his best fake apologetic smile. “Polly looks like she needs some help.” Dropping a kiss to Betty’s temple, he dashed off, feeling guilty that he was thankful for the pregnant girl’s struggles. God, he hated small talk.  
“Oh, he’s such a gentleman,” Betty’s aunt swooned.  
“Yeah, he’s amazing,” Betty admitted. Her reply was far from acting. Jughead really was amazing. Not many people would be willing to do what he was doing for her today. She made a mental note to make him an extra fudgey batch of brownies later to thank him.  
\---  
“People are really buying our act,” Jughead mumbled through a mouth full of corn on the cob.   
“Yeah,” Betty sighed wistfully. “If only it were real.” They both froze, Betty turning bright red and when she realized what she had said. “I mean- I just-”  
Jughead hastily swallowed his mouthful of food and gently cupped her cheek. “If you want it to be real, we can make it real,” he whispered softly, causing a huge flutter of butterflies in her stomach. She nodded slowly and leaned forward for a lazy, tentative kiss. It felt like coming home.  
“Eeeww! Betty and her boyfriend are kissing!” The pair broke apart when Betty’s little cousin shrieked out in disgust. Betty dropped her head to Jughead’s shoulder in embarrassment, while Jughead smirked proudly. “Betty and her boyfriend, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g,” the small child chanted as she pranced away, clearly proud of herself for interrupting.   
“I probably would have died of boredom if you hadn’t come with. Thank you, Juggie.” Betty shot him a shy smile, her head still resting on his shoulder.  
“It’s my pleasure, Betty. I’d do anything for you.” Betty’s chest tightened at the sincerity in his voice. How had she ever overlooked him for Archie? But none of that mattered, because they were finally together, and neither of them were going anywhere.


End file.
